Arrastre or scouring-mill.



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(No Model.)

Patented Aug. 20, |90l." A. R. BLACK.

ARRASTRE 0R SCUURING MILL.

(Application Bled Apr. 5, 1900.|

2 ShaetsfSheet 12.

(|10 Model.)

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lutely prevent the very ne material from ATENT Wren..

AMOS R. BLACK, OF NEAR LAMAR, COLORADO.

"ARRASTRE R scoumNc-wnm..

sPEoI'rcArIoN forming part of Letters Patent No. 681,033, datednugus 2o, 1901. Application tiled April 5,1900. Serial No. 11,719l (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern: i Be it known that I, AMOS R. BLACK, a citizen of the United States, residing near Lamar,

in the countyof Prowers and State of Coloi rado, (whose post-office address is Lamar,

Colorado,) have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Arrastres or `Scouring- Mills; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and which are drawn around on` the track.

Another object of the invention is to insure the scouring of the material in a most complete and satisfactory manner, whereby the ore is reduced to an impalpable powder and its escape without being thoroughly scoured is rendered impossible.

A further object is the provision of an improved hydraulic force-feed which will insure the delivery` of the veryr fine material down through the pulp in Athe scouring-chamber diprovide an arrastre or scouring-mill and rectly onto the scouring-surface and absorising and passing off with the pulp without being first subjected to the action of the scouring-surfaces. i

Other objects of the invention are the provision of a concentric vacant chamber in the arrastre, a regular feed and a continuous discharge in a machine of this type, and also to amalgamator combined in one machine which will be adapted to scour` the waste tailings from milling plants now in use and reduce them to an impalpable powder, break up slime, release the very fine gold from the coarse part of the tailings, scour and cleanse coated gold, and force all particles in suspension in the pulp (no matter how fine) in contact with a mercury surface.

Another object of my invention is to provide an arrastre which can in the iirst instance be used to treat gold-bearing ore at the mine after hand-hammer reduction, and

also a vacant concentric chamber having an amalgamating device arranged therein in such y a novel manner that the overflowing pulp containing the impalpable powder bearing the gold will discharge onto said amalgamating ldevice in a cataractical manner, whereby much of the fine gold will be forced into contact with the mercury-surface by the hydrau- `lic splash of the pulp, and also sprays of wa- `ter jetted downward into the sheet of pulp flowing over the mercury surface, which will force all particles in suspension in the pulp in contact with a mercury surface.

A still further object is to provide an arrastre which owing to its improved construction will be capable of extremely easy operation by animal power, as Well as the ordinary motive power, and which can be constructed 1n sections and transported. on packanimals to places in the mountains not otherwise accessible, whereby the machine is rendered adaptable for use in many situations which preclude the use of the ordinary types of mills, as well as to provide an independent cheap mill that the prospector of very limited means can procure, in which the wearing parts can be cheaply replaced, and

which can be operated with one horse, which will be the means of vmaking many pay mines out of idle low-grade gold-bearing deposits.

Having the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain improved features of construction and coperating arrangements of parts, whereby the objects enumerated and others are obtained, and which constructions and operations are i fully set forth hereinafter, and the novel features recited in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a perspective view with portions of the pulp- `chamber, the vertical scouring-surface, and

other parts broken away.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the machine with certain parts in full lines, and Fig. 3 a horizontal section on the line a: a: of Fig. 1.

The bed of the machine is composed of two or more sills l, which are provided with a sten-bearing at the point where: they are crossed.

Arising from the iianges 3 on the sills are two pipe-frames 4, which are suitably braced lbythe brace-rods 5 and 6, all of which .are

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adjustable, whereby the frame can be adj usted, as found desirable, to level up the revolving tub, to be described later. The frames are joined at the point of intersection by a coupling 7.

The numeral 8 designates a central revolving hollow shaft which is journaled in the hearing on the coupling and stepped in the step-bearing, which latter acts as an oil-cup to receive the oil fed down through the bore of the shaft and to lubricate the latter. I employ a tub 9, which in practice is about six feet in diameter and twenty inches deep and is held together by the hoops 10. The tub is provid ed with a spider 11, secured to the shaft 8 by clampingbolt 12, and under the tubbottom is another spider 13, which is seated on a shoulder 14 ou the shaft, said spiders being held to the tub by the bolts 15. An inner wall 16 is provided in practice about sixteenV inches in height, which is arranged concenirically within the tub 9 and secured to the bottom thereof and rotates therewith.

The nu [neral 17 designates a mercury-holding annular trough or receptacle which is secured to the inside of the tub 16 and rotates therewith. Drain-plugs 18 close openings in the tub 16, through whichthe material, pulp, &c., can be let into the inner tub from the space between it and the outer tub when d esired to empty the scouring-chamber. There are drain-pipes 19 which discharge .intoV an annular wasteltrough 20, provided with a discharge-pipe 21 and secured to the sills 1. The pipes 19 also Aafford an outlet for the overflow from the scouring-chamber while the machine is in operation.

The rspace between the inner and outer tub I will call the "scouring7 and pulp chamber, and the space within the inner tub the overflow-chamber and also the central vacant chamber.

In the pulp-chamber I provide a circular track 22, preferably 'of stone, and an annular vertical scouring-surface 23, preferably of stone.

v The track and the scouring-surfaces are preferably made in a number of sections which are seated Ain 'suitable cement, whereby they are rigidly secured to the tub 'and turned therewith. In the present instance I have shown the Vertical scouring-surface as disposed perpendicular; but it is clear that it could be arranged at an angle if desired, and

it is also 'apparent that a suitable metal track and vertical `scouring-surface and drags 'could be used in place of stone, if preferred. E

, Iem'ploy a numberof stone drags lor mullers 25, in "the present instance four, in practice weighing three to four hundred pounds each, which rest 'ou the track and are provided with undercutor'beveled faces 26 at oneend. These mullers r vdrags are curved, so that they will touch the vertical scouring-surface at all point's'of their lengths when in contact vtherewith. The drags or niullers are provided with resilient or springy rods 27, which have one end babbitted at 28 in the drags and the` upper end secured to compensating screw` threaded eyebolt 29, passing through parts of the frame 4 and provided with nuts 30. By reason of the centrifugal motion and re# siliency of the rods the drags are thrown out'- wardly by the centrifugal force when the ma; chine is in operation, and thus kept in close contact with the vertical scouring-surface, which insures a perfect scouring of the very fine material. As the track 22 wears down' through continued use, the eyebolt can be adj usted to allow the drags or mullers to rest of their own weight on the track.

The numerals 3l designate feed-pipesl which are adj ustably secured in a vertical position to the parts of the frame 4 by yokes or clevises 32. The lower ends of the feed-pipes project down immediately in front of the beveled ends of the stationary drags or mullers to only an extremelyv slight distance above the track. Consequently the material is fed directly onto the rotating track at the bottom of the pulpin the scouring-chamber, and before it can rise the track carries it under the drags, and hence it is impossible for the ne material to escape the scouring action and rise to the surface and float oif to the overiow. By reason of the adjustable connection of the feed-pipes to the frame, as the bed or track wears down said pipes can be adjusted so that their lower ends will always be very close to the track.

The vfluid-pipes 34: are secured to the stationary frame 4 by the U-shaped clamps 35. Said fluid-pipes extend down into the central vacant chamber in practice to within about five inches of the surface of the mercury-receptacle. Said pipes are provided with a perforated cross-pipe on the lower ends. Said perforations inject small fine needle -like sprays or jets of tiuid into the sheet of pulp passing Over the rotating mercury-surface.

The rotating parts of the machine are turned by a belt 33, which extends around the tub 9. By reason of the comparatively great diameter of the tub, which thus acts as a pulley, the actual power required to operate the machine is very small and reduced to' a minimum on account of the manner of mounting the tub, so that the machine `can be operated by animal power where ordinary motive power cannot be obtained.

The operation is as follows: The mercuryreceptacle having been prepared for lamalgamation, the tubs 'being put in rotation bythe belt, in practice twenty to thirty revolutions per minute, the material to be treated is then regularly fed into the feed-pipes and discharges from their lower e'nd'sonto the rotating track, under the hydraulic pressure of the pulp in thescouring-chamber, and is immediately carried under the beveled ends of the stationary drags, thereby scouring and "further reducing the Very fine material. The hydraulic pressure, in connection with the centrifugal motion ofthe 'arrastre and the ICO IIO

employment of the vertical scouring-surface, insures the subjection of the material to the scouring action of the drags or mullers on the track and vertical scouring-surface until itis reduced to at least eighty or one hundred mesh fine, in consequence ofwhich all slime is broken up, the line gold is released from the coarse part ofthe tailings, and the coated gold is also scoured and cleansed, so that it will amalgamate when brought in contact with a mercury surface. Another advantage obtained by the employment of the Vertical scouring-surface is that the material cannot pass outside the rotating track or get away from the scouring action of the drags or lnullers, as is the case in the old form of arrastre and centrifugal mills now in use,which are not provided with the Vertical scouringsurface I employ in my invention.

. When the machine is in operation, the centrifugal action will cause the surface of the pulp or fluid in the scouring-chamber to assume an incline such as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. n-that is, from near the top of the outer tub to the top of the inner tubover which it will discharge or overliow in `is kept repeatedly subjected to the scouring action until it has been reduced to at least t eighty or one hundred mesh line, whereupon it becomes sufficiently light to oat inward on the surface of the pulp (shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2) and discharge in cataractical form over the upper edge of the inner tub and drop or fall onto the mercury-surface, ,Where all the pulp discharged from the scouri ing-chamber into the central Vacant chamber, falling onto and passing over the rotating mercury-receptacle, is treated or subjected to sufficient fluid sprays or jets from `the perforations in the pipes to force every and all of the infinitesimal particles in the pulp in contact with the mercury-surface.

y thereby amalgamating all gold (no matter how fine) that has been released from the gangne.

Orcs scoured wet to at least eighty or one hundred mesh fine form a soft velvet-feelinglike pulp, the material loses its grit, and therefore the processes of forced amalgamation that I employ herein will not flour or scour the mercury or amalgam. After this the pulp is discharged through the drain or dis- Vcharge pipes and carried off by the wastetrough. Any of the material which is not eighty or one hundred mesh fine has too great specific gravity to discharge with the cataract, and such particles will sink below the surface before reaching the discharge and fall outside the inner tub, from which accu-4 mulation the top layer will be continuously removed to a level with the rotating tracks, inward to the scouring-surfaces by the centrifugalu action and scoured over and over' again until sufficiently fine to float on the surface and discharge. The employment of the inner and outer tubs and scouring the material in the outer space provided between the tubs result -both advantageously be* cause the centrifugal action is greatest the farthest from the central rotation it may be, and the space within the inner tub-that is, the overflow-chamber or central vacant chamber-is not used for scouring purposes, but for overflow discharge and amalgamation uses, and I -therefore obviate the dead area commonly existing in centrifugal machines for treating ore, which always results disadvantageously in such machines, as the ma terial tends to accumulate there. In practice the mercury-receptacle is located about one foot below the overflow, which has been pointed out before, and the overflow is cataractical in its action. Therefore the weight of the fall of the pulp is beneficially used in forced amalgamation.

Having thus described my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, ism

l. In an arrastre or scouring-mill, the combination with an outer rotary tub and an inner tub therein which is of less height than the outer tub, said tubs defining a scouringchamber between them and said inner tub providing an overow-chamber into which the pulp discharges from the scouring-chamber, of horizontal and vertical scouring-surfaces in the scouring-chamber and rotating with the tubs, stationary drags or mullers resting on and bearing against the scouring surfaces, and stationary feed-pipes adapted to deliver the material directly onto the hori- Zontal scouring-surface immediately in front of the drags or mullers, whereby the pulp is made to travel in cycles in the scouringchamber and be continually resubjected to the scouring action until the particles are reduced sufficiently fine to be carried off by the pulp discharging over the inner tub into the overflow-chamber.

2. In an arrastre or scouring-mill, the combination with a rotary tub having a horizontal scouring-track and a Vertical scouringsurface, both movable therewith, of stationn ary drags or mullers resting on the track and bearing on the vertical scouring-surface, said mullers being provided with overhanging Vor undercut ends, and stationary feed-pipes hav ing their delivery-mouths located directly above the scouring-track and immediately adjacent the undercut or overhanging ends of the drags or mullers, whereby said pipes are adapted to discharge the material directly onto the scouring-track, below the surface of the pulp, in .such position that it cannot es- IOO IIO

cape from under the overhan ging ends of the drags.

8. In an arrastre or scouring-mill, the com' bination with an outer rotary tub and an inner tub therein which is of less height than the outer tub, said tubs defining a scouringchamber between them and said inner tub providing an overflow-chamber into which the pulp discharges from the scouring-chamber, of horizontal and vertical scouring-surfaces in the scouring-chamber and rotating with the tubs, stationary drags or mullers resting on and bearing against the scouring surfaces, stationary feed-pipes adapted to deliver the material directly onto the horizontal scouring-surface immediately in front of the drags ormullers, whereby the pulp is made to travel in cycles in the scouring-chamber and be continually resubjected to the scouring action until the particles are reduced sufficiently line to be carried off by the pulp discharging over the inner tub into the overliowchamber, of an amalgamating-surface in the inner tub and secured to the sides thereof and located below the upper edge of the same,

whereby said surface is adapted to receive the cataractically-discharging pulp issuing from said upper edge, and means for injecting jets 'of lluid into the pulp as it passes over the amalgamating-surfaces, whereby the iine ioat gold is brought into contact with said surface.

4. In an arrastre, or scouring-mill, the com# bination with a rotary tub having a horizontal scouring-track and a vertical scouringsurface, both movable therewith, of stationary drags or mullers resting on the track and bearing on the vertical scouring-surface, and stationary vertically-adjustable feed-pipes having their delivery-mouths located directly above the scouring-track and immediately adjacent the ends of the drags or mullers, whereby said pipes are adapted to discharge the material directly onto the scouring-track, below the surface of the pulp, in such position that it cannot escape from passing under the drags.

5. In an arrastre or scouring-mill, the combination with a rotary tub having an inner overflow chamber and an outer scouringchamber, of a mercury surface in said overflowchamber, and means for forcing jets into the sheet of pulp as its passes over the mercury surface after discharging from the scouring-chamber into the overflow-chamber, whereby fine particles of gold in suspension in the pulp are forced into contact with the mercury surface.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses..

AMOS R. BLACK.

Witnesses:

VERNON E. I-IoDGEs, E. H. MERILLAT. 

